A powerful earthquake struck a high-altitude region in western China and parts of Nepal on Tuesday, resulting in significant damage to hundreds of homes, debris-filled streets, and a death toll of at least 95 people in Tibet. Numerous individuals were also trapped as multiple aftershocks rattled the remote area. Rescue teams navigated through piles of rubble in heavily impacted villages, utilizing ladders to search for survivors. Videos released by China’s Ministry of Emergency Management depicted workers carrying injured individuals on stretchers over the debris from collapsed buildings.
According to reports from state broadcaster CCTV, over 130 people were injured in the earthquake-affected zone in Tibet on the Chinese side of the border. More than 1,000 homes suffered damage in the sparsely populated region, with fallen building materials strewn across streets and vehicles crushed, as shown in CCTV footage. While residents in northeastern Nepal were strongly affected by the earthquake, no initial injuries or damages were reported by the National Emergency Operation Center of Nepal. The vicinity around Mount Everest, approximately 75 kilometers (50 miles) southwest of the epicenter, was relatively deserted during winter, with some residents relocating south to avoid the cold.
The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.1 as per the U.S. Geological Survey and 6.8 according to China’s Earthquake Networks Center, was relatively shallow at a depth of about 10 kilometers (6 miles). Shallow earthquakes often result in more extensive damage. The epicenter was situated in Tibet’s Tingri county, a seismic hotspot where the India and Eurasia tectonic plates intersect, causing potent earthquakes that can alter the heights of the Himalayan peaks.
Tibet, an integral part of China, has a population with strong ties to the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader residing in India since 1959. Western governments and human rights organizations have criticized China for alleged abuses in Tibet, alongside substantial economic investments. The region has experienced ten earthquakes of magnitude 6 or higher in the past century, as indicated by the USGS.
Following the earthquake, over 50 aftershocks were recorded, prompting the closure of the Mount Everest scenic area on the Chinese side. Chinese President Xi Jinping urged comprehensive efforts to rescue individuals, reduce casualties, and assist those affected by damaged homes. More than 3,000 rescuers were mobilized, with Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing overseeing operations on-site. The government allocated 100 million yuan ($13.6 million) for disaster relief efforts.
In the vicinity of the epicenter on the Chinese side, three townships and 27 villages within 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) are home to around 6,900 residents, with an average altitude of approximately 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). On the outskirts of Kathmandu, a video captured water flowing into the street from a pond in a courtyard adjacent to a small temple, underscoring the intensity of the earthquake.
Associated Press writer Binaj Gurubacharya in Kathmandu, Nepal, and researcher Yu Bing in Beijing contributed to this report.
